The invention relates to a device for the interlocking of two positively guided elements adjustable relative to one another in an interlocking position according to the preamble of claim 1.
A known device of the abovementioned type (DE-C 15 05 721) serves for interlocking a motor vehicle folding top in its closed position, in which the folding top is braced at the front against the cowl of the windshield. For this purpose, the folding top is provided with a countermember which is equipped as a lug and which is assigned as an interlocking member, on the cowl, a hook which is articulated on the cowl via a guide mechanism and is capable of being adjusted by means of an actuating drive in the form of a hydraulic cylinder. In this case, as a rule, the hook assumes a position countersunk into the cowl, specifically when the folding top is both closed and open, and, via the adjusting drive, for the purposes of interlocking the folding top said hook is pivoted out of the cowl, when the folding top approaches the latter, into a position of readiness, in which it can grasp the lug, move it into the interlocking position and hold it in this. The outward movement of the hook into the position of readiness is triggered by a tracer assigned to the folding top, when the folding top approaches its interlocking position in relation to the cowl, the tracer acting upon a control valve, via which the hydraulic cylinder serving as an actuating drive is activated. The hydraulic cylinder is incorporated into the hydraulic circuit in such a way that the actuating piston is constantly loaded with pressure on the piston-rod side, with respect to the opposite side which is assigned the piston surface of larger cross section, but is connected to the hydraulic circuit, so as to be capable of being cut in and cut out, via a valve. In the known solution, the retracted position of the hydraulic cylinder corresponds to the position of readiness of the hook and the extended position corresponds to the interlocking position, so that, during transfer into the interlocking position, the operation is conducted counter to the working pressure prevailing constantly on the piston-rod side and separate securing of the interlocking position must be carried out.
In view of the fact that the position of readiness constitutes an extended position for the hook as an interlocking member and this position of readiness can be approached only as long as the countermember, that is to say the lug, does not lie in the path of adjustment of the hook, the trigger pin must either project relatively far and/or be offset to the hook and lug. This results, overall in a relatively complicated construction, in which, because of the transmission ratios of the actuating drive, it is also necessary for the latter to have relatively high-value dimensioning.
The object on which the invention is based is to provide a device of the type initially mentioned, which makes it possible to have a makeup simplified according to the invention and on the basis of which a simple control for pulling-shut closures can be implemented.
This is achieved, according to the invention, by means of the defining features of claim 1, the pulling-shut or interlocking operation being initiated automatically when the elements to be interlocked approach one another, in that, in the course of the approach, near the end position of the elements in the interlocked state, a position of readiness initially provided, specifically, provided as a blocking position, is triggered and adjustment is thereby enabled via the actuating drive, via which the interlocking member is consequently transferred into the interlocking position. Since the interlocking member, in its position of readiness, is initially blocked with respect to forces introduced in the pulling-shut direction via the actuating drive, that is to say cannot be moved correspondingly via the actuating drive, the actuating drive can be xe2x80x9cprestressedxe2x80x9d in the pulling-shut direction, for example, by the actuating drive being designed as a hydraulic cylinder which is permanently connected in the pulling-shut direction to the delivery side of the hydraulic supply. For this purpose, the hydraulic cylinder is installed in such a way that the piston-rod side of the cylinder is openly connected to the pressure source, so that controlled activation is necessary only in the opposite direction, that is to say, for example, for opening or for erection, since, with the pressures being the same, the counterforce acting on the piston-rod side is lower as a result of the surface differences.
Adjustment out of the position of readiness, as blocking position, in the direction of the interlocking position, may be carried out via the counterelement, or a part assigned to this, in particular, the countermember, so that this function does not necessitate any additional parts.
With a view to securing the position of readiness, as blocking position, positive blocking proves to be particularly advantageous, but, depending on the magnitude of the forces exerted via the counterelement on the interlocking member in the approach to the interlocking position, nonpositive support, for example support by means of a spring stop, as an overrideable stop, may also be sufficient. The latter possibility is adopted, for example, in the case of heavy lid parts which, when being pivoted in onto the element carrying the interlocking member, are to be absorbed by braking, so that the interlocking operation as such can be accurately controlled.
In this respect, too, inter alia, particularly diverse and expedient possibilities are afforded, within the scope of the invention, in the design of the guide mechanism as a link mechanism, since this provides particularly good preconditions for securing the position of readiness in a direction of adjustment, for example, by means of a beyond dead center position as a blocking position, and, where appropriate, for also securing the interlocking position in a corresponding way, so that, in both positions, corresponding mechanical safeguards are achieved, without additional measures, purely on the basis of the mechanism functions, this being essential, particularly for the interlocking position, so that the interlocking position can be maintained independently of the pressure supply.
Particularly in conjunction with an embodiment of this kind, it is also possible, while the actuating force applied by the actuating drive remains the same, to vary the force component acting on the interlocking lever, in such a way that, starting from the position of readiness, said force component increases in the direction of the interlocking position and reaches a maximum within the region of the interlocking position. Such a profile proves to be expedient, inter alia, also in terms of safety aspects for example as pinch protection, especially since, in conjunction with such a step-up, a rise in the closing speed, starting from the position of readiness, can be achieved.
Within the scope of the invention, a link mechanism which proves expedient is, in particular, a link mechanism which forms a four-bar linkage, and which, in the position of readiness and/or in the interlocking position, has end positions which, for example, preferably constitute beyond dead center positions. For this purpose, of the links connecting the base and coupler of the four-bar linkage, one is approximately in alignment with the coupler, in the position corresponding to the position of readiness, and the other is approximately in alignment with the coupler, in the position corresponding to the interlocking position, and this also makes it possible, in the case of an appropriate assignment of the interlocking lever to the link mechanism, to have a flat mechanism makeup in the direction of the pivoting plane.
For this purpose, and for simplifying the overall makeup, it proves expedient to connect the interlocking member to the link mechanism at the articulation point of one link on the coupler and to select the articulation point of the other link on the coupler, for the articulation of the actuating drive on the link mechanism. This dispenses with separate articulation points and also results in particularly favorable force conditions.
According to the invention, for controlling the pivoting travel between the position of readiness and the interlocking position, the connecting member is assigned a positive sliding coupling at a guide point fixed in position in relation to the base of the four-bar linkage, and it proves to be simple and expedient for the guide point of the positive sliding coupling to be formed by one of the base-side articulation points of the link mechanism. It is particularly expedient if the base-side guide point of the positive sliding coupling is formed by the base-side articulation point of the link, at whose articulation point on the coupler the actuating drive engages, so that the articulation points of the four-bar linkage assume a double function in terms of the articulation of the actuating drive and the articulation of the interlocking member, thus simplifying the overall makeup.
With a view to the interlocking of the elements, the interlocking member and the countermember are each assigned a coupling member, and the coupling members provided may expediently be, on the one hand, a coupling pin and, on the other hand, a coupling mouth.
In view of the fact that, in conjunction with the coupling members running onto one another when the elements approach one another, the blocking position provided in the position of readiness must first be canceled, it proves expedient if the coupling mouth has a design and is arranged, in conjunction with the coupling pin assigned to the interlocking member, such that one flank of the coupling mouth forms for the coupling pin a catching surface, from which the coupling pin changes so as to come to bear against the other flank, which forms a detaining surface, in the course of the further adjustment of the interlocking member in the direction of the closing position, the flank which contains the catching surface extending beyond the detaining flank in the opposite direction to the jaw of the coupling mouth, so that, in the case of a flat pivoting travel of the interlocking lever, it is possible, in the region of the coupling pin carried by the latter, to have a secure grasp of the coupling pin via the coupling mouth.
Within the scope of the invention, the assignment of the coupling pin to the interlocking member and of the coupling mouth to the countermember forms a preferred embodiment particularly when the interlocking member is assigned to the fixed element, against which the countermember assigned to the counterelement is pivotable. The countermember may be formed, for example, by a holder for a trunk lid or else by a trunk lid, while the interlocking member together with the associated guide mechanism is assigned to the other element, that is to say, for example, to the body of a vehicle. Depending on the respective application, however, it is also possible to assign the coupling pin to the countermember and the coupling mouth to the interlocking member.
Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it proves expedient if the plane of the coupling mouth is approximately perpendicular to the coupling pin and the pivoting plane of the parts to be interlocked coincides approximately with the pivoting plane of the interlocking member. Within the scope of the invention, however, this is not mandatory, but on the contrary the pivoting plane of the elements may also lie transversely to the pivoting plane of the interlocking member.
As stated above, a hydraulic adjusting mechanism, in particular a hydraulic actuating cylinder, proves expedient for the actuating drive. The connection between the respective driving element of the actuating drive and the interlocking member may be made as a function of structural conditions, but also via separate linkage connections, Bowden cables or the like. Furthermore, an electrical embodiment of the actuating drive is also possible within the scope of the invention.
The interlocking member is referred to above in terms of its interaction with the countermember for the purpose of a pulling-shut function. With the sequence reversed, however, the interlocking member may also be used, after the release of the interlock, for transferring the countermember and the counterelement assigned to the latter into a position which corresponds to the position of readiness of the interlocking member, that is to say into a slight opening position for the counterelement, for example in a function as an actuating aid.
The embodiment according to the invention of the interlocking device also proves to be expedient from the point of view of tolerance, since both setting possibilities, for example by an increase or reduction in the beyond dead center position, are possible with respect to the end positions and the interaction of the coupling mouth and coupling pin allows tolerances both in the longitudinal direction of the coupling mouth and transversely thereto, such as are expedient, in particular, in the vehicle construction sector for adjusting and regulating work, especially in repair situations.